Ricketts Announces Shortened Quarantines, Guidance for Essential Caregiver Visitation in Long-Term Care Facilities Bosses and HR need to be prepared to speak with employees about their needs, which can include mental health situations. Nearly a week ago, the House passed The Heroes Act which provides $200 billion in hazard pay funding for essential workers, among many other things. ​Reversing course on employee quarantines, federal health officials now say that essential workers who've been exposed to the coronavirus can stay on the job while monitoring their symptoms. Will I be charged on claims filed after 03/22/20 that are a direct result of COVID-19 exposure or illness? Please log in as a SHRM member. Don't leave unprepared. Essential services and sectors include, but are not limited to: • Fire services, law enforcement agencies, emergency medical services & public COVID-19 Executive Order No. New CDC Guidance Says Essential Employees Can Continue Working After Coronavirus Exposure Nancy.Cleeland@shrm.org. The Department of Labor’s (Department) Wage and Hour Division (WHD) administers and enforces the new law’s paid leave requirements. The Department of Economic Development is partnering with Governor Ricketts to inform and assist businesses during Nebraska’s ongoing response to COVID-19. Industrial businesses in one Nebraska city implement safety procedures and adapt to social distancing guidelines in order to keep the doors open during the coronavirus pandemic. 12. new guidance, released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on April 8, applies only to businesses deemed critical, such as hospitals, grocery stores and food processing plants. Nebraska Schools Preparing for Virus Vaccinations Next Year Nebraska school districts are working to determine how many of their employees … Five280 May 6, 2020 May 6, 2020 Comments Off on For a Nebraska City, Essential Employees Work as Virus Fears Grow. Ricketts Announces Business Task Force to “Get Nebraska Growing” & Provides Update on Test Nebraska Initiative, Gov. reduce affected employees’ hours by 10 to 60 percent while permitting the employees to receive a prorated unemployment benefit. What you need to know. There are a number of federal requirements, including meeting a National Objective of creating or retaining jobs for LMI persons or benefiting residents in communities where the population is at 51% or more LMI. For information about CDBG-Coronavirus (CDBG-CV) resources, refer to https://opportunity.nebraska.gov/program/community-development-block-grant/#cdbg-cv. States are looking at whether essential workers infected with COVID-19 can file workers' compensation claims. Box 94848, Lincoln, NE 68509-4848 Lincoln: 402-471-2244 www.governor.nebraska.gov. The guide outlines eligible activities for providing loans or grants to private, for-profit entities to support a range of eligible activities that prevent and respond to the spread of infectious diseases such as the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Here’s a list of what’s considered ‘essential’ under stay-at-home order News. ​Find news & resources on specialized workplace topics. For more information about CDBG ED, for which you may currently apply, refer to the 2019 Application Guidelines at https://opportunity.nebraska.gov/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/2019_Chapter-2_Economic-Development_20190719.pdf, or contact your local DED Field Staff representative by county: Butler, Cass, Dodge, Douglas, Gage, Jefferson, Johnson, Lancaster, Nemaha, Otoe, Pawnee, Richardson, Saline, Sarpy, Saunders, Seward, Washington – The state has enacted some of the most far-reaching measures in the country to protect its 40 million residents. Businesses providing such essential goods and services include: Purchase of Machinery and/or Equipment (Fixed Assets), Scan partner country news outlets for information on government policies, supplier operations impacting your own business, Remain in contact with DED, the United States Small Business Administration (SBA), and the United States Department of Commerce on relevant assistance programs. Even if a business is deemed an “essential business,” any employee who is sick needs to stay home, Shaw says. “Employers should continue to act aggressively to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in the workplace,” said Tufte. Effective for hospital workers, medical staff, warehouse employees, and other essential staff so they can easily be identified. if(currentUrl.indexOf("/about-shrm/pages/shrm-china.aspx") > -1) { $('.container-footer').first().hide(); especially hard, and some hospitals had Many don't feel protected. We treat people with dignity and respect and always act ethically. Try some practice questions! Camacho-Johnson said that having exposed staff continue working puts other health care workers and vulnerable patients at risk, since the infection can spread to others before a fever or any other symptoms develop. We're following the business models.". Please note that all such forms and policies should be reviewed by your legal counsel for compliance with applicable law, and should be modified to suit your organization’s culture, industry, and practices. If you are designated as an essential employee and have concerns, please contact unohr@unomaha.edu for specific information related to individual situations. Essential Businesses and Operations. First responders and health care workers who test positive for coronavirus are receiving a presumption of work-related occupational disease in some states giving them access to wage replacement benefits and death benefits. Please confirm that you want to proceed with deleting bookmark. The office remains operational at two locations with essential personnel and executive staff physically present to serve Attorney General Doug Peterson and the people of Nebraska… Now that most employees are being asked, or even told, to stay home to stop the spread of the coronavirus, the term "essential worker" has repeatedly popped up. 407 Canfield Administration Building South (ADMS) 501 N 14th St, Lincoln, NE 68588-0438 phone icon 402-472-3101 | 402-472-9040 (fax) NMotion, gener8tor, LPED Emergency Response Program Press Release, Click here to contact your DED Business Development Field Staff, Critical Supply Survey and Demand Contacts for Manufacturers and Medical Providers. Avoid job loss caused by business closures related to social distancing by providing short-term working capital assistance to small businesses, to enable retention of jobs held by low- and moderate-income (LMI) persons. The rush of hiring recently announced by essential companies such as Amazon is partly a response to the quarantines, she said. "We really looked at how to maintain that workforce particularly at this time as we begin to get ready to reopen. It came as a shock to 42 year veteran DHHS DD Service Coordinator Sue Strnad when the agency terminated her employment after she was diagnosed with cancer despite having over 3,000 hours of earned sick leave available for her use. The changes came as many essential businesses such as Amazon ramped up hiring and worried about potential labor shortages. Email: as.employeebenefits@nebraska.gov. Members may download one copy of our sample forms and templates for your personal use within your organization. On March 13, 2020, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) issued a Quick Guide to CDBG Eligible Activities to Support Infectious Disease Response. We focus on saving taxpayer dollars. 8. The Nebraska Association of Public Employees represents 8,000 state employees. The Previous guidance called for all workers to isolate at home for 14 days after being close to anyone suspected of having the virus, in case they too became sick and infected others. Effective April 19, employees at essential businesses are required to wear face coverings while on the job. Equal Opportunity Program/Employer TDD: 800.833.7352 TTY 402-471-0016 (For Assistance with Unemployment Insurance) Auxiliary aids and services are available upon … 402.471.4443 - Lincoln 877.721.2228 Outlook Web Access - Log in ... Lincoln, Nebraska 68509 (402) 471-3121 Website Feedback. Essential employees designation is determined by the state, along with the responsibilities of the employee, and the reasons for closing. You may be trying to access this site from a secured browser on the server. To request permission for specific items, click on the “reuse permissions” button on the page where you find the item. Your contacts are: Susan Rouch, Export Development Manager: susan.rouch@nebraska.gov, Cobus Block, International Business Manager: cobus.block@nebraska.gov, Taylor Bolam, International Business Associate: taylor.bolam@nebraska.gov. 2021 Programs Now Available! We provide skilled and reliable employees for manufacturing job openings, as well as office/clerical and professional positions. OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) – While state officials have ordered all non-essential businesses to close, there are a lot of questions surrounding what that actually means for some industries. Nebraska public health is taking action to address this threat. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, states have temporarily suspended parts of their economies to slow the spread of the disease. All non-essential employees are being asked to work from home until further notice and follow the social distancing guidelines being provided by the CDC and Douglas County Health Department. Individuals who are exempt include essential critical infrastructure workers as defined by the United States Department of Homeland Security. Ramchandani-Raj said 14-day quarantines for exposed employees became increasingly unmanageable in regions with large outbreaks of COVID-19, the illness caused by the virus, especially when there is no easy access to testing for the virus. White House briefing. The CDC was "trying to ensure there was a way for companies to continue running. Shop Essential Employee ID Cards. All the current DHMs and reopening guidance are located on the NDHHS COVID-19 Guidance page at – http://dhhs.ne.gov/Pages/COVID-19-Nebraska-Guidance-Documents.aspx, CDBG Resources to Assist Businesses Impacted by COVID-19. var currentUrl = window.location.href.toLowerCase(); Please purchase a SHRM membership before saving bookmarks. DED is here to assist and advise Nebraska exporters in navigating this process. Weather/Essential Activity Condition. For a list of official travel restrictions to each country, please visit the International Air Transport Association at the following link. "It starts with one person and anyone who's in close contact is taken out of the workplace and all of those people have further exposed people. Farm workers, electricity and utility industry employees, critical manufacturing employees are also considered essential. Posted: Mar 23, 2020 / 11:55 AM EDT / Updated: Mar 23, 2020 / 12:06 PM EDT. These links will be to sites and resources for the Coronavirus (COVID-19). It keeps on expanding." An employee who is sick and who tests positive for COVID-19 should stay home for 10 days after the symptoms first appeared and for 72 hours after their recovery (once symptoms are gone without having to use medication). Activities include: Under this new guidance, CDBG ED may be able to assist two types of for-profit businesses: Implementing CDBG for business assistance will require local governments (e.g., cities, villages, or counties) to apply on behalf of businesses in their jurisdiction. Ricketts Launches #TestNebraskaChallenge, Rolls Out Plan to Expand COVID-19 Testing, Gov. Useful Links for DHHS Employees Operational No No What would you like to do? Nebraska Furniture Mart’s decision to remain open has irked some customers and employees. Please contact your elected officials, and let them know that they failed to protect essential public employees. We are customer focused. Please log in as a SHRM member before saving bookmarks. For people in the medical community that want to access these companies and order needed supplies, please contact: Doug Carlson, Chief Procurement Officer for the State of Nebraska; doug.carlson@nebraska.gov or 402-471-0972. ", The CNA has been critical of other CDC guidance changes, including its recommendation that surgical masks be used by healthcare workers in place of N95 masks, which are specifically designed to block viruses.